Thursday, July 19, 2012

Joe Higgins Says He's Not Behind Arizonans for a Brighter Future

Since our story on Arizonans for a Brighter Future’s bogus claims broke yesterday, we’ve heard from a variety of people with theories as to who might be behind the mysterious non-profit organization, whose backers fear the consequences of allowing their identities to become public.

We've got a few weeks before we get any information back from Delaware, where the group incorporated for some unknown reason, so we thought we might as well ask around and see if anyone wants to ’fess up about being involved.

Several folks have suggested that Joe Higgins, a radio talk-show host and columnist for Inside Tucson Business (which, like the Weekly, is published by Wick Communications), might have a hand in it.

A few weeks back, when we were first looking into Arizonans for a Brighter Future, we asked Higgins if he knew who was behind the organization.

“I don’t know,” said Higgins. “I’d love to find out.”

Higgins told us he was familiar with the group’s claim—which is not substantiated by Pima County budget documents that tracks spending—that Pima County can’t account for $345 million in transportation spending because he heard it mentioned in an ad on his radio show.

“I’ve looked at the data on their website and it does kind of add up,” said Higgins, who nearly won a seat on Pima County Board of Supervisors four years ago and is supporting Ally Miller in the four-way District 1 race this year. “I have some questions of my own, though. Ally gave me some good feedback and it kind of matches up with what they’re doing. I’m cautious, but I think they’re on the right track.”

That puts Higgins in the small group of people we’ve spoken to who believe that the allegation that the county can’t account for hundreds of millions in the transportation budget.